[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]bedroom, glancing curiously at Burash who was getting slowly to his feet,
darting her eyes back to Aleytys, swinging them finally to the austere
gray-haired figure wearing the white of medicine standing silent just inside
the archway. Need the doctor see you, Damiktana? Or him?
Aleytys looked with distaste at the surgeon who had planted the egg in her,
the memory hot and strong of that flesh time bomb set to destruct in a year&
less than that now. I think not, she said.
Not an hour ago the both of you tilted on the edge of dying. I d be most
interested in hearing your explanation of that miraculous recovery.
Eyebrows gently raised, Aleytys glanced at the attackers stacked like
cordwood. You re more likely to get answers there, she said softly.
Perhaps. The kipu nodded toward the lift. In any case, better discussed in
private.
No. As the kipu s meager face pursed into a heavy frown, Aleytys smiled
again. I m filthy and tired. Any talking we have to do will wait till
morning. She shrugged. I m sure you ll have milked these dry by then. Clear
this place out, rab kipu. If guards are necessary, and I can t dispute that
after this, leave them out there. She waved at the glass wall.
The kipu frowned at her a minute, then nodded. Briskly she ordered a double
hand of guards into the garden and another twelve into the hall, keeping back
the last twelve to carry the bodies of the raiders to the interrogation center
on the floor above.
Within minutes the room was empty and quiet, the scattered sweet stinking
blood smears the only reminder of the frantic battle. The kipu moved quietly
to the lift. In the entrance, a black silhouette against the pale yellow light
illuminating the small square room, she turned and gazed at Aleytys from eyes
invisible except for elusive glints of reflected light. We will talk
tomorrow, Damiktana. Have your story ready but put a little truth in it.
Tomorrow.
The kipu stepped inside and the door closed over her. Aleytys touched Burash
lightly on the shoulder. You all right?
Holding out his hand, he said, Look. Shaking like a leaf after a winter
storm.
Otherwise?
Tired, mauled, sore as a rotten tooth, but yes, I m all right. I m alive.
He dropped shakily onto the bed and pulled her down beside him. How about
you?
About the same. She ran her hands through her hair, wincing as they caught
in tangles and tugged at her tender scalp. That was close. I wonder why& .
You ve been making yourself noticed, Leyta. He ran his fingers gently
across her palms as he spoke. The cityqueens are a greedy set of river pigs.
You think they haven t heard the rumors? Trust Gapp and Asshrud to get the
news out to their pets. What did you expect?
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ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
They tried to kill me. What good would that do?
Ask yourself. Does any of them love the kipu? Anything that lessens her
power aggrandizes theirs. Of course& when I was sleeping didn t they start to
take you away?
You re right. They would have killed you, though.
Why not. What am I?
Ah. And we were drugged.
What did I say? Gapp and Asshrud. The next month should be interesting.
Ahai Madar! She jerked upright and pounded a fist on her thigh.
Burash looked startled. He swung around, antennas leaping with curiosity,
colors flashing starkly in the dim light. What is it?
Nakivas. With guards on the wall& .
Between the two of you. He laughed. You ll think of something. He bent
over and sniffed at her skin. You stink, Leyta. So do I. He slid off the bed
and held out his hand. Shall we wash the grime off?
Chapter XVI
Water. Rocking, endlessly cradling, caressing her body, lifting but eternal,
unchanging, floating, immersed in water yet distance was meaningless as time
was meaningless, passing but eternal, unchanging, floating, immersed in water
currents, bloodwarm, soaking, unhurried, slow, sensuous, suspended in mindless
languor, body warm, drifting, arms, legs trailing, fluttering without
volition, strands of red gold hair straying a time in neighboring currents so
they dipped and surged in patterns before drowsy dreaming detached eyes.
After an eon she roused enough to wonder dimly where, why, when. Golden
bubbles separated from the dark water, dancing in complex circles around her
body and her head, shedding a capricious shower of sparks into her eyes,
marking her quiescent body with spangled flecks of glimmering gold darting in
disturbing patterns over the mounds and shadowed hollows of her pale flesh.
Another eon passed.
She looked at her drifting hand and after a while lifted it, reaching for the
dancing bubbles that stirred curiosity in her, tickling her out of her
mindless dream. But they danced in mocking hilarity, soundless and elusive,
away from her clumsy groping fingers, fingers moving with agonizing slowness.
She let her fingers trail aimlessly through the water, abandoning the futile
pursuit.
Her lips opened. Permeated by the water her body was immersed wholly within,
she found no difference, no sound. Come, she called soundlessly, coaxing the
entrancing dancing bubbles.
The word slid out into the water shining, shining, sound made visible slow
and slow. She watched it slide through the water and touch the clusters of
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